Tuesday, January 13, 2015

A Daughter's Goodbye

Written on January 8, 2015

Saying goodbye is never easy, when you say goodbye to someone very important like your Mother, it can be gut-wrenching. I am writing this as I sit with her in the nursing home, holding her hand, and stroking her face.

We see our parents as people that will be with us forever. If you are lucky enough to have good ones, you should be forever grateful. My Mother had me in her 40's before it was cool to do so. She was way above trend, she had a beauty degree, but worked most of her life in a very high-end children's boutique called The Kiddie Shoppe. I was known as The Kiddie Shoppe baby since all the clothes I wore came from the store.

I had so much love from my parents growing up, they may have been a bit over-strict, but I turned out pretty well. My Mom was a wonderful cook and baker, being full Italian - both her parents came from Naples, Italy to the USA - it was in her blood. Her favorite question "Is it cooked" drove me a bit crazy at times.

My Mom was very hip for her age, I guess due to having a young daughter. She had knowledge of Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. She also loved the Harry Potter series, Star Trek, The Hobbitt and even watched Entourage with me, laughing at Kevin Dillon and Jeremy Piven. She introduced me to period dramas and we both enjoyed Downton Abbey and Mr. Selfridge. The great British comedies like Are You Being Served, Keeping up Appearances and The Office, made her laugh. My Mom was a very diverse person. She was my best friend, true friends are so hard to come by these days. She was always so proud of what I did and loved being involved in this blog. I always told her she was the "CMO" of this blog - Chief Mom Officer and she held that position with pride. If she saw something on tv that was in the city that she felt I should check out, she was quick to inform me. She taught me about class, style and cuisine.

I am lucky to have had her as long as I have, but I will miss her immensely. When your last parent passes away, you become an orphan. I cannot fathom not squeezing her cheeks anymore, or working on new recipes with her. I will miss her smile. I do feel she will always be with me, my new guardian angel. She will enjoy being with my Dad again, the love of her life. I will cherish every memory I have of her, and try to continue to make her proud. Saying goodbye is not easy, so I won't say goodbye - I will say "See you soon Mom" you are my light, my best girl and my everything. Thank you for making me who I am today, and giving me such a strong foundation. You have my undying love and devotion forever.

My Mother passed away January 12, 2015 in the afternoon hours.

Oliver Wendell Holmes: “The real religion of the world comes from women much more than men - from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms."

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